60th Wedding Anniversary Letter from the Queen

60th Wedding Anniversary Letter From the Queen. It was my pleasure to be asked to photograph Shirley and Gordon’s Diamond Wedding anniversary at the family home in Cardiff, which also included 4 generations of the Clan. History has it that the tradition and culture of sending a congratulatory message to those couples celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary harks back to 1917 during the days of King George V.A. Originally, these messages were sent through via telegram and over the years, the format of the congratulatory missives has evolved to reflect the fast-changing developing fashions and tastes of the modern times. It can also be argued that the changes and reforms in the postal system have also contributed to this.

Nowadays, cards are sent to those couples celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary ( diamond ) and every other thereafter. The messages will most of the time comprise of a card inscribed with a personalised message from the queen herself. The card comes in a special envelope and has a letterhead which is a variation of the original 1917 King George V.A plaque that reads;

“His Majesty the King hopes that the blessings of prosperity and good health may follow you through the remainder of your days” As it is usually the case, only citizens of the current commonwealth realm ( these are countries where the Queen is the sovereign Head of State ) or United Kingdom Overseas Territories qualify to receive these congratulatory messages. In this regard, applications for people residing in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand ought to be sent to the respective Governor-general. The Governor-general as you may well know acts as the Queen’s personal representative in these countries and is the one responsible for arranging for these messages to reach the queen. Once you have received your congratulatory letter from the queen, it would be very fitting and customary for the couple to take a full family portrait in celebration of this, and if you happen to be in Cardiff or its environs, then the services of an experienced portrait photographer in Cardiff should come in handy.